The drive to Kim’s house was long, and awkward. Every fiber of Shego was telling her to cart the red head off into the sunset, but she kept driving steadily up the long hill. The stopped at the top in front of a large house, and Shego couldn’t help but stare.
Kim sighed, “We’re here…”
Shego was still staring as she got out of the car. It was hard to believe that with a house that large that the girl she had taken care of for nearly a month lived there. Much less the fact that said girl was happy in a studio apartment that barely classified as two rooms, one bath.
Kim didn’t ring the door bell this time and just walked in like it was every other day. But it wasn’t.
Her mother was in the kitchen when she heard the door open, and peeked out to see who it was. A loud crash followed.
“I’m okay! It was just the coffee pot!” The voice called from the kitchen as Shego followed Kim in. It felt as if their roles had been switched, where Kim was in charge and Shego was the pet.
Shego sighed, her heart under that sinking feeling again. She was going to lose Kim to her old life…She should be happy. She was sure of it. She should be happy, and able to move on with her life.
She wasn’t though.
“Whoa…that is some…”
“Cool green skin.”
Shego’s hair bristled. She recognized the pattern of speech, and the similar voices. She turned and faced the two boys who were staring at her.
“Why is your…”
“Skin green?”
Shego sighed, “Very big comet did it. Alright?”
Kim was surprised to hear the annoyance in Shego’s voice. Even when the woman got upset at Kim her voice never sounded like that.
“Tweebs, leave Shego alone!” Kim shooed the twins away and looked at Shego apologetically.
“Don’t worry about it Pumpkin…I’ve got twin brothers too. Annoying as hell ones at that.”
Kim nodded and bit her lip, not noticing the slight jingle as she did.
Her father did though as he walked into the room from the kitchen, “Kimmicub, why are you wearing a collar?”
Kim bit her lip again, “Because….I’m Shego’s pet?”
Shego winced and waited for the torrent of anger to come.
“Who’s Shego? And what do you mean by pet?”
“Dad…you better sit down for this one…”
Kim didn’t start until she had her father and mother together, and her brothers nowhere near by.
“Mom…Dad….I left because I was heartbroken, depressed, and generally not emotionally stable.”
The parental heads nodded slowly. They had figured as much from her behavior before she had disappeared.
“And…I did the whole runaway bit. Except I made it to a little town south of here…”
“South of here?” Kim’s father was the one who spoke.
“About three hundred miles south.”
The parental heads nodded again.
“And well…Shego found me…and took care of me…despite not knowing me, or anything about who I was…It was the first time I can remember anyone caring about me just because I was there.”
There was a questioning look between the parents, but they didn’t say anything.
“She never expected me to do anything beyond being who I was. Never asked me to save the world, or take on giant robots, or go into space. She just wanted me to be there.”
Shego felt her cheeks burn at that. She hadn’t wanted to own up to it, but in the beginning just having the red head around was more than enough to lighten her day.
“And well…the pet thing is because I made her let me be her pet.”
“Kimmie…what do you mean made her let you?”
Shego shielded her eyes as Kim let loose a full powered pout.
The parents understood immediately what had happened.
“Shego…thank-you for taking care of Kim…” The girl’s mother didn’t know how to say it. The whole situation was honestly too weird to just approach normally. “And…I’m so sorry she forced you into that situation.”
Shego raised a hand to silence the older woman. “Don’t be sorry for me. She forced me to let her be my pet, yes. But I enjoyed having her around. She makes great omelets, not to mention made my bed a lot warmer at night,” She paused and ignored her own set-up for embarrassment. “I bought her clothes and fed her, and let her stick around because she’s something I was missing in my life. It’s silly really, but I needed her to give me something. She came looking for affection, for love. I actually needed a reason to feel love again…”
Shego paused and swallowed, “Your daughter gave me that reason…and I’m sorry to lose it…even if it is right that she’s here with you…even if it’s better.”
Shego stopped and couldn’t believe what she had just confessed to. It was silent in the kitchen as a wave of shock set in over the Possible family that was present. Shego didn’t let it wear off though, and rushed out of the kitchen.
She didn’t stop until she was in the car, sitting behind the wheel. She had just emptied her heart out over a girl she barely knew, barely understood, and loved completely despite it.
Shego sniffled, trying not to cry. She had spent too much time as it was crying. She needed to just accept things as they were and not cry any more.
The passenger door opened and a young red head slipped into the seat next to her. “Shego…? Did you really mean it…?”
Shego nodded. It didn’t matter anymore how she felt. She was doing what was best for Kim.
“Then why?”
Shego sighed, “Because…it’s not right if I just keep you…you have family…you have friends…you have a life…”
“I want you though.” Kim’s voice was firm, and angry. “Shego…I don’t care anymore. My family isn’t there like you were. My friends never once considered it okay do something simple like hug me during a scary movie. Things I’ve needed my whole life I only get from you…” Kim’s voice was cracking. “I…I want you…nothing else.”
Shego squeezed her eyes shut, “I’m sorry Pumpkin…I’m not good for you…I’m just a thief, an arsonist, well pretty much anything I’m paid for. You…you save the world…”
“Screw the world. It’s saved itself before I was born, and it can keep doing it now. Damn it Shego…it all doesn’t matter…”
“I wish it was true Pumpkin…I really do.”
They sat there for a long time, long after the sun set. The moonless night twinkled almost sadly as Kim finally slid out of the car, the duffel bag in her hand.
Shego didn’t say anything as she slowly drove off into the night. There wasn’t a need to; there just wasn’t anything left to say.
Author’s Notes: Well, there I go making Shego, and now Kim, cry. I’m such a meanie.
Next Chapter: Coping…Is it possible?